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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want him present at the birth

111 replies

1950s1 · 18/01/2021 20:35

The father of our children and I keep rebounding. He loves me and knows that I have emotionally disconnected from him which he says he is desperate to fix. He is the childrens bestfriend and we want to stay together to conveniently remain as a family unit which I don't have an issue with. He came back to live with us today, because it makes things more convenient. Everyone I've spoken to about this says they would leave, but I'm not asking for advice on that, I really don't want to leave. My partner has a close female best-friend, they've known eachother for aproximetly four years, but my partner and I have known eachother much longer. He swears they just have a
brother-sister bond. Admittedly though I don't understand what one of those is. I'm uncomfortable with their relationship, There are no boundaries when they have conversations, she says they don't keep anything from eachother, and presses him when he has tried to keep my information away from her. He says he doesn't see anything wrong with this, they are friends, he should be able to trust her. She is obssesed with him, and knows all the details about his entire life. He has revealed too much to her, their conversations can be personal and deep. She passive aggresively said she was happy for him if I was what he wanted. It made me assume that she fancied him. I confronted them both, they swore they didn't feel that way towards eachother. Ever since knowing about me, she has asked for my
personal information, has spoken off-the-scales unnaceptably about me, gotten the wrong end of the stick when our relationship issues arise in their conversations and has painted me as a toxic monster and has labeled me controlling for not wanting her in his life anymore. She has used what she knows about him to her advantage, convinced him that I am no good for him and somehow manipulated him into leaving me. On top of that, she hacked into his phone and
social medias by bypassing the google security questions linked to his accounts from knowing him so well, accessed my personal information and revealed it to her friends in a groupchat. I lost my shit, told her I wish for her to get very hurt and die for all I care. she said if she knew where I lived (we were living seperately at this time) she'd have the police at my door and make me loose my job and any chance of getting a better one in the future. Eventually he came back, I was very hurt still, he said he missed me, and he said if we were to
be together I had to allow them to stay friends and talk. I said no, layed it all out, to try and get him to see her for what she is, He said he doesnt see it but realised what he was losing and agreed not to talk to her to be with me, but said that he still wanted her as his friend. He swore two different times they weren't talking anymore, he was each time behind my back. The first time, he could feel me getting emotionally distant, the second time, I had almost completely emotionally disconnected. I wasn't being nearly as affectionate as usual, he doubted that I even loved him anymore, and honestly, I was doubting that I loved him anymore. He has sworn a 3rd time he has removed her from his life to stand a chance at making things normal again. I don't believe that he has, he doesn't let me have his passwords or access to his social medias or phone, and he still wants her (has openly admitted to it) and talks fondly of her when we try and talk about why I'm disconnected from him. I've felt angry and sick for a long time, but I've sort of accepted that this is the situation that I'm in and don't feel such heated overwhelming emotions. If I do start to feel like that again I remind myself of how ill it makes me and start to find ways to calm down. Then I feel numb towards him again.
I feel as though, so long as he still wants her, I'm not safe to allow myself feel anything towards him. He said he doesn't see what's wrong with their relationship, and said he doesn't know right from wrong because of his bad upbringing. It's important to him that he has a close relationship with his children, he has said that when our other child is born he wants to be present at the birth or the child would grow up thinking that their father didn't want them if he wasn't
there when they were born. I resent him on a deep level, If I try to connect to him on an intimate level it makes me feel sick so I don't bother putting myself through that anymore. I would feel too vulnerable to have him there but I don't want him to resent me for it which he would, it would make our situation overall worse. So I'm not sure what I'm asking, I feel torn.

OP posts:
nimbuscloud · 18/01/2021 20:37

I think your children are being screwed up for life.

NeonSparkle · 18/01/2021 20:39

You shouldn't be with him, but at the end of the day it's your choice who you have at the birth and if you would feel vulnerable with him there then don't have him there.

Smallonesaremorejuicy · 18/01/2021 20:47

You have who you want at your child’s birth (Covid allowing)!but I feel this relationship is destructive for you . You are unable to trust him now after his promises to not contact her are broken time & time again . I wish you all the very best in your life .🍀

Ohalrightthen · 18/01/2021 20:50

Why the hell are you with him? This is a fucking awful environment for children to grow up in. All the adults in this situation sound like teenagers - grow the hell up and start putting your children first. That means an end to all this nonsensical drama, a solid visitation schedule and CMS, and absolutely no contact between you and him about anything except logistics.

Palavah · 18/01/2021 20:56

You don't need to have him at the birth.
You do need to keep your distance and communicate only regarding practical parenting matters.
He does need to start being a father to the children rather than a 'best friend'

HerMammy · 18/01/2021 21:04

His best friend my arse!
Who allows a friend to treat their partner like this or puts the friend first?

1Morewineplease · 18/01/2021 21:08

If your best friend said all of what you've just said here, to you, what would you say to her?

1FootInTheRave · 18/01/2021 21:09

Get some self respect and get rid.

Gettinggrumpier · 18/01/2021 21:10

You don't trust him, so why do you continually have in and out of your life?

There is another way. You can be an independent woman, taking care of your children on your own. Honestly, not having a man in your life and home can work out just fine.

Do or don't have him at the birth. It is no big deal. If you let him attend, remember it will be just for the baby and that his future connections with you are only about co-parenting the children, nothing more.

As soon as you realise that it is better to cut the emotional strings and to live separately from him, the better your life will be.

Eekay · 18/01/2021 21:16

Your great long post is all your screwed up feelings pouring out.
This is toxic.
Let this other woman bloody have him.
Stop competing.
I think that's the nub of this. You don't want to "lose".
He is no prize whatsoever.
Don't have him at the birth. That's your right.
More importantly, don't have him in your home. That's your right too.

user1174147897 · 18/01/2021 21:22

Is this the same man who took your daughter to the beach in January when she was only wearing a dress and you thought he was irresponsible?

I don't understand how you can have such hostility towards your parents for their parenting due to being smokers, yet you think this dysfunctional situation is a positive "family unit".

Anyway, people are consistently advising you to leave for good reason, not just because they like the sound of the words. You say you resent him on a deep level but are determined to stay. Why?

1950s1 · 18/01/2021 21:27

Is this the same man who took your daughter to the beach in January when she was only wearing a dress and you thought he was irresponsible? yes

you think this dysfunctional situation is a positive "family unit".
You say you resent him on a deep level but are determined to stay. Why? It would make things difficult and impractical to not live together, he can spend more time with the children here, I feel like we can live in the same house and still be do family activites even if we're not on good terms as long as we remain civil

OP posts:
nimbuscloud · 18/01/2021 21:31

You are both going to be responsible for causing long term emotional harm to your children.

hotpotlover · 18/01/2021 21:40

It seems to me that he might even enjoy two women fighting over him. It's flattering to him.

I'd say ltb, but I understand that might not be so easy with children.

Neversleepingever · 18/01/2021 21:51

Your children should be in an environment with a healthy relationship. You don't have that. It would.be better for them to have you as a single parent than this dysfunctional mess.

MissBaskinIfYoureNasty · 18/01/2021 21:52

Sounds like an absolutely ideal environment for children to be raised in...Hmm

SemperIdem · 18/01/2021 21:58

How many children do you have with this man?

You need to prioritise them.

Having him at the birth, or not, is far from the biggest issue here.

Hankunamatata · 18/01/2021 21:59

For the love of goodness. Make a clean break. Move say 10mins away. Give yourself space from him. And dont have him at the birth. You can co parent perfectly well apart.

1950s1 · 18/01/2021 22:01

I don't think it's effecting the children that much. They're joyful to have him around and we all have great times together playing. We can remain civil towards eachother. We don't argue and when we have conversations they're not in the same house because we don't want them to know. We think it would be too complicated for them, that they wouldn't understand

OP posts:
SemperIdem · 18/01/2021 22:02

You are wrong - it will impact them, subconsciously perhaps but they see it and absorb it. Repeat it.

Notimeforaname · 18/01/2021 22:04

So you dont want to leave but are disconnected from him, so ate you just friends now or in a relationship?
If you're just living together as friends then he can see whomever he likes. But if you are trying as a couple he cant just keep lying. You must come to a compromise.

Emeraldshamrock · 18/01/2021 22:04

You're the other woman in your marriage he is forced you to except this role by insisting you want to stay together.
Romantic or not it is an inappropriate relationship when your marriage details are up for discussion between them.
Get rid of him, he has no respect for you, your DC deserve better.

Notimeforaname · 18/01/2021 22:05

In regards to the birth, only have who you feel comfortable with.

gah2teenagers · 18/01/2021 22:12

Remain civil ! This is how you want to bring up your children?

Ohalrightthen · 18/01/2021 22:13

@1950s1

I don't think it's effecting the children that much. They're joyful to have him around and we all have great times together playing. We can remain civil towards eachother. We don't argue and when we have conversations they're not in the same house because we don't want them to know. We think it would be too complicated for them, that they wouldn't understand
You're being woefully naive here. Even if (and it's unlikely) theyre not currently internalising your hugely dysfunctional relationship dynamic, they are only going to get more observant and intelligent as they grow up. They'll definitely figure it out sooner rather than later.
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